About Gallaher
Leading international tobacco company operating in 80 countries worldwide
Headquarters in UK
Have used i2i products and services to manage export administration since 1990
Approximately 200 export shipments are dispatched each month
Major SAP implementation project throughout the group to 2011

Issues
In 2006 Gallaher were setting up manufacturing sites in a number of countries worldwide and were implementing SAP in most of those sites
Needed to replace i2i’s GTA Connect system with a more robust system which could be accessed by users across the globe

Requirement
An SAP driven system which could use the commercial and logistical information created in SAP, as a basis to create the export information specific to the tobacco industry
To have one centralised system which could provide this functionality for other Gallaher manufacturing locations worldwide, managed from UK 
The ability to share information with other sites
To send data to services such as e-Cert, NES, Intrastat in the UK and to similar services in other countries
To implement the system without any  disruption to current working practices  

About ICI Imagedata
Manufacturer of electro-photographic products ranging from high-quality paper for digital photography to overhead transparency films
85% of products are sold outside the UK
Sales & marketing offices in Europe, North America and Japan
240 export shipments per month from UK

Issues
Existing business system being replaced with EFACS
Current business system had been heavily customised for creation of export documents
Need to ensure continuity of current export working practices when the old system was switched off
Concerns that functionality developed in the old system would be lost and not replaced with the new system

Requirement
A host driven system which would enable their EFACS data to be used to create export documents
The ability to produce documents with current data layouts, without re-keying into another system
A system which initially would simply replace their current system to ensure business continuity
The ability to add some new documents which had not previously been required 

About Gould Pumps
Pump Manufacturer doing business in 100 countries world wide
Part of Lowara group
Assembly site based in Axminster Devon needed to automate their export processes
70% of output from Devon is exported and this was increasing
Volume of approximately 50 export shipments per month.
Business system is BPCS which is installed in Italy and managed at group level

Issues
Volumes not sufficient to justify cost of major automated system
Little time to allocate to implementing new processes
Documents not complex but time taken to produce them was significant.
Time and cost of distributing documents needed to be reduced

Requirement
A simple system which could be used immediately
A partner to work with them to develop and improve working practices as their business practices evolved

The BCC and e-Cert lightens the load for Exporters. 

The problem - necessary documentation for exporting
For all businesses wishing to export, Certificates of Origin are required by Customs in certain countries to determine the origin of imported goods.  The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) holds mandates from the DTI and HM Revenue & Customs for the issue of all EU Certificates of Origin as well as EUR1 and A.TR Certificates. These Movement certificates are readily available from issuing body Chambers across the United Kingdom.

Solution and Implementation
Before 2000, options for exporters to obtain these signed and stamped documents were limited. They used to have to send them by post to their local Chamber, which could take up to three days to turn around, or if urgent they could take them to their local Chamber, or send them by courier. For some organisations this meant a significant amount of extra time, effort, and money just to get their goods despatched on time. 

In 1999, BCC selected I2i as their technology partner to produce an online system, e-Cert, which would revolutionise the way that exporters could apply for their Certificates of Origin. Launched in 2000, e-Cert is available to all Chambers of Commerce (Issuing Bodies) throughout the UK to enable them to provide an online service to their customers. 

A service that is always improving
Since it has been specified by BCC, the e-Cert software encompasses statutory processes and rules to ensure that these documents are completed and managed in accordance with regulations.  Ongoing development ensures that e-Cert is evolving in line with the needs of exporters, and in 2005 an eXpress service was added, so that documents can be approved online enabling the exporter to locally print the document complete with stamps and signatures. This meant that turn around time was reduced to under 20 minutes.  

Arab Certificates of Origin can also be processed using the e-Cert system, and future developments include EUR and A.TR documents, when Customs regulations allow. 

Key to the success of e-Cert has been the relationship between i2i and BCC.  While BCC have been maintaining the standards for production and approval of the documents, i2i have worked with a group of Chambers to establish real world working practices and have used some innovative technical developments to ensure that the standards and the working practices are contained in the e-Cert product.  Security of online documents and anti-fraud procedures have also been a major consideration in the development of e-Cert.

Satisfied Customers

In 2006 e-Cert was used by 4,000 exporters who processed in excess of 60,000 applications online.  For organisations where rapid movement of goods is critical to their business, the use of e-Cert has saved considerable amounts of time and money.

Mike Rogers, Commercial Director at Agil (an e-Cert eXpress user) said: “When so much of our business depends on exports, improving the accuracy and speed of the application and authentication process for export certificates gives us competitive advantage.  Previously we would have to dedicate a lot of time to completing a lot of export paperwork by hand and then wait for it to be processed.  With e-Cert es what would have taken days now takes minutes.  Speeding up the paperwork enables us to give customers faster product shipment and that translates into better sales and cashflow.”

John Dunsmure, Managing Director of the British Chambers of Commerce added:
“eCert eXpress is the next step in our aim of making the production of export documentation a completely paperless process. Not only are there benefits to British exporters in terms of speed, simplicity and ease-of-use, there are also benefits to their customers through greater efficiency, better responsiveness and improved customer care.

We have found I2i to be the ideal technology partner – creative, innovative, supportive and providing exemplary customer care and service.”